BEV35 ON IFR FLT PLAN IN IMC EXPERIENCED TOTAL ALTERNATOR FAILURE. WAS IN CONTACT WITH SPI APCH CTL CONTINUED IMC. REDUCED ELECTRICAL LOAD AND WHEN OUT OF PRECIPITATION AREA GOT PARTIAL OP OF ALTERNATOR. ELECTED TO LAND DEC AND WAS VECTORED BY SPI APCH. FOUND WATER SHORTING OUT ALTERNATOR. PROB CORRECTED AND FLT CONTINUED TO OWB.

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ENRTE ON A FLT FROM EBS TO OWB; ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND IN IMC CONDITIONS; I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ALTERNATOR FAILURE. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE I WAS COMMUNICATING WITH SPRINGFIELD APCH (118.6). EFFORTS TO GET THE ALTERNATOR BACK IN OP BY REDUCING THE LOAD AND TURNING ALT ON/OFF; TO POSSIBLY RESET THE OVER VOLTAGE RELAY; WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. FLT WAS CONTINUED IN IMC; TOWARDS DEST AT AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT; WITH THE BATTERY POWERING ONLY THE #1 NAV/COM AND THE XPONDER. EFFORTS TO CONTACT SPI APCH WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL DUE TO LOW BATTERY PWR. CONSEQUENTLY; I DECIDED TO SQUAWK 7600; TO POSSIBLY ALERT ATC. AFTER FLT IN PRECIPITATION ENDED; THE ALTERNATOR CAME BACK ON LINE; BUT WAS CYCLING ON/OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH SPI APCH; AND; AFTER A SHORT VECTOR TO THE ILS RWY 6; MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT DEC. UPON INVESTIGATION; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WATER HAD PENETRATED IN THE FIELD CONNECTOR AND; AS A RESULT; THE ALTERNATOR WAS SHORTED OUT. THE PROB WAS CORRECTED BY A LCL MAINT FACILITY AND THE FLT WAS CONTINUED TO THE FINAL DEST WITHOUT FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. UPON EVALUATING MY OWN PERFORMANCE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES; I ADMIT THAT I WAS A LITTLE BIT SLOW IN RECOGNIZING THE ALTERNATOR PROB AFTER MY NAV AND COM SYS STARTED TO FAIL. TO KEEP THE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT/BATTERY CHARGE/DISCHARGE IN MY SCANNING PATTERN IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN FLYING SINGLE ENG IMC.